Izzo Joins McLendon Foundation Minority Leadership Initiative
7/14/2020 3:53:00 PM | Men's Basketball
East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State men's basketball head coach Tom Izzo is one of more than 35 collegiate coaches to collaborate with the John McLendon Minority Scholarship Foundation to launch the McLendon Minority Leadership Initiative [MLI] as announced earlier this week by the foundation.
The coach-driven initiative will provide minorities a jump-start to their careers through practical experiences, opportunities to build their network, and instilling the values of John McLendon: Integrity, Education, Leadership, and Mentorship.
"I'm honored to be able to partner with some of my friends in college basketball and be part of the McLendon Minority Leadership Initiative," Izzo said. "John McLendon was a great leader and one of the pioneers in college basketball.
"While I never met him, it was an honor to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame with him and to learn more about the legacy and imprint he left. I think one of the best ways we can honor his legacy is to help develop a pathway for minority men and women in athletics. Leading by example is not enough. Let's speak about it and talk about it and make changes. This is an initiative that would be bigger than any national championship."
The McLendon Foundation, along with G3 Marketing and ProLink Staffing Services, will be assisting in the solicitation of collegiate coaches, administrators, and corporations to build this program and provide opportunities within athletics departments at all levels, with the ultimate goal of expanding and enhancing the pipeline for minorities interested in pursuing careers in athletics administration. As an added benefit, the Joel Cornette Foundation will assist the Future Leaders with corporate mentorship, development, and job placement.
"The McLendon Minority Leadership Initiative is a huge step in the right direction for enhancing the pipeline within our industry," said Andrea Williams, Chief Operating Officer at the College Football Playoff (CFP) and McLendon Foundation President. "There are many qualified minority individuals who are prepared to make their mark and begin their careers in college athletics, and this program, jumpstarted by Coach Calipari, is a great foundation to build on."
More information regarding the MLI, including a pre-application for interested and qualified individuals, can be found at MinorityLeaders.org. In conjunction with this announcement, the McLendon Foundation is unveiling a newly designed website to showcase the efforts of the Foundation, highlighted by its mission to empower and develop minorities who aspire to be principled leaders in athletics administration by providing educational resources and access to a life-long community of mentors.
Participants in the initiative will be known as MLI Future Leaders. Learn more about John McLendon here and learn more about the McLendon Leadership Initiative here.
About the John McLendon Minority Scholarship Foundation
The John McLendon Minority Scholarship Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded and administered aby NACDA that provides educational opportunities and serves as a vehicle for networking, information and advocacy on behalf of the profession. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded 123 students with scholarships in the amount of $1,245,000.
The coach-driven initiative will provide minorities a jump-start to their careers through practical experiences, opportunities to build their network, and instilling the values of John McLendon: Integrity, Education, Leadership, and Mentorship.
"I'm honored to be able to partner with some of my friends in college basketball and be part of the McLendon Minority Leadership Initiative," Izzo said. "John McLendon was a great leader and one of the pioneers in college basketball.
"While I never met him, it was an honor to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame with him and to learn more about the legacy and imprint he left. I think one of the best ways we can honor his legacy is to help develop a pathway for minority men and women in athletics. Leading by example is not enough. Let's speak about it and talk about it and make changes. This is an initiative that would be bigger than any national championship."
The McLendon Foundation, along with G3 Marketing and ProLink Staffing Services, will be assisting in the solicitation of collegiate coaches, administrators, and corporations to build this program and provide opportunities within athletics departments at all levels, with the ultimate goal of expanding and enhancing the pipeline for minorities interested in pursuing careers in athletics administration. As an added benefit, the Joel Cornette Foundation will assist the Future Leaders with corporate mentorship, development, and job placement.
"The McLendon Minority Leadership Initiative is a huge step in the right direction for enhancing the pipeline within our industry," said Andrea Williams, Chief Operating Officer at the College Football Playoff (CFP) and McLendon Foundation President. "There are many qualified minority individuals who are prepared to make their mark and begin their careers in college athletics, and this program, jumpstarted by Coach Calipari, is a great foundation to build on."
More information regarding the MLI, including a pre-application for interested and qualified individuals, can be found at MinorityLeaders.org. In conjunction with this announcement, the McLendon Foundation is unveiling a newly designed website to showcase the efforts of the Foundation, highlighted by its mission to empower and develop minorities who aspire to be principled leaders in athletics administration by providing educational resources and access to a life-long community of mentors.
Participants in the initiative will be known as MLI Future Leaders. Learn more about John McLendon here and learn more about the McLendon Leadership Initiative here.
About the John McLendon Minority Scholarship Foundation
The John McLendon Minority Scholarship Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded and administered aby NACDA that provides educational opportunities and serves as a vehicle for networking, information and advocacy on behalf of the profession. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded 123 students with scholarships in the amount of $1,245,000.
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